I'm a cultural historian, mythologist, and author of two award-winning books, the latest being The Mythology of Eden, analyzing the biblical Adam and Eve story from the perspective of mythological studies. I used to be an international lawyer, practicing law for 30 years mainly in the area of trade and investment in Russia and the former USSR, and lived and worked as a lawyer in Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg) for over 8 years. I was fortunate enough to be able to retire from the law in 2013 to devote full time rather than part time to my passion for scholarly research and writing. I also give talks on mythology to various audiences, including at scholarly conferences, church groups, mythology groups, book clubs, and societies concerned with spirituality. My languages are Russian, ancient (Middle) Egyptian, Biblical Hebrew, ancient Greek (Biblical (Koine) and Attic), and French (reading knowledge). When I'm not researching and writing, my favorite things to do are reading, writing, skiing, running, and cooking and wine. I have a blog and (with my wife Elena, who hails from Russia) a website.